John Lylie

, or Lylly, a Kentish man born, became a Student in Magd. coll. in the beginning of 1569. aged 16. or thereabouts, and was afterwards, as I conceive, either one of the Demies or Clerks of that house; but always averse to the crabbed studies of Logic and Philosophy. For so it was that his genie being naturally bent to the pleasant paths of Poetry, (as if Apollo had given to him a wreath of his own Bays, without snatching or strugling,) did in a manner neglect Accademical studies, yet not so much but that he took the degrees in Arts, that of Master being compleated 1575. At which time, as he was esteemed in the University a noted Wit, so afterwards was he in the Court of Q. Elizabeth, where he was also reputed a rare Poet, witty, comical, and facetious. His Works are these.

Gallathea.

Love’s Metamorphosis.

Midas.

Endimion, or the man in the Moon.

Mother Bomby.

Maids Metamorphosis,

Sapho and Phao.

Woman in the Moon.

Warning for fair Women.

Alexander and Campaspe.

All which are Comedies, and most of them having been published in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth, six were re-printed at London in oct. an. 1632. by the care of Hen. Blount Esq; afterwards a Knight, under the title of Court Comedies, which before had crowned the author with applause, and the Auditors of them with pleasure.

Euphues and his England; containing his voyage and adventures, mixed with sundry pretty discourses of honest love, the description of the Country, the Court, and the manner of that Isle, &c. Lond. 1580. and 82. in two parts, in a large oct. The first part is dedicated to Edw. Vere E. of Oxon, a noted Poet, and encourager of learning in his time, and the last to the University of Oxon. These two parts were published again with corrections and amendments at Lond. 1606. and 1636. qu.

Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit, or the delights of Wit in Youth, &c. Lond. 1581. qu. corrected and amended Lond. 1606. 1623. and 30. qu. To these books of Euphues, ’tis said, that our Nation is indebted for a new English in them, which the Flower of the Youth thereof learned. All the Ladies then were Scholars to them and their author, and that Beauty in Court which could not parly Euphuism, was as little regarded, as those now there that cannot speak French.Clar. 1598. What other Books, Comedies, or Trag. our author hath written, I cannot find, nor when he dyed, or where buried, only that he lived till towards the latter end of Q. Elizabeth, if not beyond, for he was in being in 1597. when the Woman in the Moon was published. It is said also that he wrote something against Mart. Marprelate, in defence of Dr. Cooper Bishop of Winton, but what, I cannot tell, unless it be any of those answers, which I have mentioned in John Penry, alias M. Marprelate, under the year 1593. Quere.